# NTSB DFW05CA100: Cessna 172L, N3889Q, Stephenville, TX, April 3, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 3, 2005, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: Stephenville, TX - Coordinates: 32.215278, -98.177497 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.2153&lon=-98.1775&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 7, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 61294 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DFW05CA100 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61294/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW05CA100 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a hard landing. A contributing factor was the prevailing crosswind. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - weather condition - high wind - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - encountered, pilot in command - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The 123-hour private pilot entered a left downwind for runway 14 (a 4,200-foot by 75-foot asphalt runway), and proceeded to fly a left traffic pattern. On final approach, the airplane had 20 degrees of flaps and was traveling at approximately 70 miles per hour. During touch down the airplane "porpoised and came off the ground." The pilot elected to abort the landing and then proceeded around the traffic pattern. After landing successfully, the pilot taxied the airplane to parking. The wind at the time of the mishap was from 180 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 18 knots. ## Factual narrative On April 3, 2005, about 1430 central daylight time, a Cessna 172L single-engine airplane, N3889Q, owned by a private individual, sustained substantial damage following a hard landing at the Clark Field Municipal Airport (SEP), near Stephenville, Texas. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The cross-country flight originated at the Collin County Regional Airport (TKI), near McKinney, Texas, approximately 1245, with SEP as its intended destination. In a written statement, the 123-hour private pilot reported that she entered a left downwind for runway 14 (a 4,200-foot by 75-foot asphalt runway), at SEP and proceeded to fly a left traffic pattern. She reported that, on final, the airplane had 20 degrees of flaps and was traveling at approximately 70 miles per hour. She felt "a little high and fast on final and was making throttle and pitch corrections." She was " pulling back slightly on the yoke when the rear wheels touched down, but the airplane porpoised and came off the ground." The pilot "attempted to fly the airplane just above the runway to allow it to settle back down on the runway when the damaging bounce occurred." The pilot then elected to abort the landing, added full power, and took off. She continued around the traffic pattern, landed successfully, and taxied the airplane to parking. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector who responded to the accident, there was structural damage to the firewall. Additionally, the nose wheel cover was damaged. At 1445, the automated weather observing system at SEP reported wind from 180 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 18 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, a clear sky, temperature 73 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 33 degrees Fahrenheit, and a barometric pressure setting of 30.01 inches of Mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3889Q](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3889Q), registered now, S/N 17259989, built 1971 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172L - Registry model: [Cessna 172L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172l) (registry code 2072432) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17259989 - Airframe hours: 4802.5 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 28, 2005, 6.3 hours before - Departed: TKI, McKinney, TX - Destination: SEP, Stephenville, TX - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: SEP, Clark Field Municipal Airrport, runway 14, 4,200 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 123 total, 88 in this make and model, 55 as pilot in command, 24 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 15 knots, gusting 18 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: SEP ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20050403004809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050403004809A), Apr 3, 2005: Cessna 172L, Stephenville, TX, Minor damage. (-23) On Sunday April 3, 2005 at approximately 12:45 CDT departed mckinney after obtaining ASOS for mckinney, and filing a VFR flight plan to Stephenville… ## Other investigations on N3889Q (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB MKC78FER33](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC78FER33), Mar 8, 1978: Cessna 172 (N3889Q), Thief Riv Fall, MN, destroyed From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.